According to researchers, extract of bitter melon, a nutritional supplement, might help shield women from breast cancer. Steven Reinberg from HealthDay.com reports, “Bitter melon is a common vegetable in India, China and South America, and its extract is used in folk remedies for diabetes because of its blood-sugar lowering capabilities.”
Lead researcher Ratna Ray said, “When we used the extract from that melon, we saw that it kills the breast cancer cells.” The melon extract only killed cancer cells, but none of the normal, healthy breast cells; however, their work was performed in a laboratory, not in humans, stated Ray. Ray went on to say that she doesn’t think the extract will cure cancer, but believes it will “delay or perhaps have some prevention.” She says people shouldn’t start using melon extract as a cancer prevention method yet because appropriate clinical trials are needed to “establish its safety and efficacy in humans.”
Schedule an appointment with a doctor near you to get screened for breast cancer.
